The Happiest New Year
by Becks7
Summary: Wheeler takes Linka to New York to celebrate New Years. Will the trip help bring them together or will circumstances continue to keep them apart? Takes place around Season 5.
1. Where's the Party?

Summary: Wheeler shows Linka how they do New Years in New York. Takes place around season 5.

A/N: Wrote this one in the middle of my last fic. It's completely un-related to that storyline, but just came to me so I had to stop what I was doing and write this down. I thought I'd try something different and write it from Wheeler's point of view. Happy New Years!

* * *

New Year's Eve on Hope Island. You'd think that for a young guy like me, spending your favorite holiday on a tropical island with your best friends would be the definition of a good time…too bad my best friends are all party poopers! All but one of them. Normally I'd be thrilled with the prospect of spending some "alone time" with Linka, but the truth is, things have been really weird between us lately. It's been going on for about a year now. Actually, it's been going on since the day we met, but this past year has been harder on me than ever before. I guess it started after Linka almost left the Planeteers to go back to Russia. I thought that was it for us. Who am I kidding? There is no "us." I guess I should say, I thought that was it for any hope for us. When she kissed me goodbye, it was the best kiss and the worst kiss ever. The best because it was her and I'd been waiting for that moment for years. The worst because I knew it was the first and last time she'd kiss me like that. But then she came back and hope was restored. I risked my life by staying behind and saving her several times. That proved to her that she meant more to me than just someone to flirt with. Didn't it? I foolishly thought that now that she knew how I really felt, and her kiss showed me how she felt, we'd be on the path to happily ever after. But we were back where we started, not acknowledging anything that happened in Russia. And as much as I'd love to blame it all on her, I can't. I've hurt her too. 

When we were in LA dealing with the aftermath of riots, we were helping out at a shelter and she actually tried flirting with me. Well, she accused me of flirting with her when really, all I did was accidently bump into her. She wasn't angry, she was joking with me. It was rare that she'd joke around on a mission and under normal circumstances, I would have savored the opportunity to be in the company of "playful Linka," but I was in a bad mood after getting news from home. I was a jerk and she didn't deserve it. I never did apologize. This is probably why a couple of weeks later, she was all over some jackass french fry factory owner. I still wanna punch that guy. He was arrogant and stupid. He may not have known that he was being duped by Greedly, but still, he was a jerk for being stubborn about not making the factory more eco-friendly. Until Linka batted her eyes at him and wooed him. Yeah, I was jealous. It hurt. When I snapped at her in LA, I'm sure it hurt her feelings, but if she planned on getting revenge by fawning over Mr. Potato Head, it wasn't the same. Hurt feelings and a hurt heart are completely different. Nothing more happened between them, which is why I know she was only doing it for my benefit. Linka doesn't open up to the people she cares about, yet she had no problem flirting with this guy? It was obvious she was putting on an act.

But for every down, there's an up. That "dream" we all had about that game show was real! I'm the only one that believes that it really happened. I know it seems a little unbelievable, but is it any less believable than five people all having the same EXACT dream? That was a good dream as far as dreams go and I've had PLENTY of good "Linka Dreams," if you catch my drift. I could definitely feel something between Linka and me during that game show. She was totally flirting! When she told me there were many parts of her I did not know, and then she leaned back into me…Wow! When I helped her put on her backpack for the Dynofan they gave her, she did it again. When it was Ma-Ti's and my turn to do our challenge and she gave me a kiss for luck, and then she kissed me again when we won the whole competition…it was so real. I'll believe it really happened until the day I die! I mean, we've been shrunk several times and even taken by an alien to an endangered species exhibit. Maybe we were abducted in the middle of the night and taken to play "You Bet Your Planet." Yeah, it's a little far fetched and sounds like something straight out of The X-Files, but just like Fox Mulder, "I want to believe."

She gets jealous when I show other girls attention. I know it, and I use it. I know I shouldn't mess with her feelings like that, but sometimes I just need that little bit of confirmation that she cares…for my own ego's sake.

For all the ups and downs this past year has brought, if I ever doubt how Linka feels about me, I just think of my birthday at the Eco-Park. She was definitely flirty…and I was dead tired. Being in The Tunnel of Love with Linka was something I'd waited five years for, and I slept through it all. And to make matters worse, she was practically all over me and I push her away. In the end, I got a kiss on the cheek. I guess it's fitting that this took place at a theme park. "The Wheeler and Linka Rollercoaster of Love" is up and running. I've always liked roller coasters. This one is hell on my stomach though. When I'm around Linka, I get one of two feelings. I've either got butterflies in my stomach because I'm so happy, or my stomach is tied in knots and I'm nauseous. Which will it be tonight? Probably all of the above.

It wouldn't be so bad if Ma-Ti, Gi, and Kwame were there. Sure, there was a time when I'd have given anything to be alone with Linka, but now...? I just don't know what to do or how to act. How did we end up alone? It's hard to tell. Sometimes the others scheme to get Linka and me alone; sometimes it just works out that way. I think this particular time is just a coincidence.

Here's how it all started: Things have been slow and it just so happened that Christmas was coming. I suggested we all go home for a few days to see our families. That's what Christmas is all about after all. We just got home today. Upon arriving back on Hope Island this afternoon, I found out that apparently Linka and I are the only ones excited about celebrating New Years. She was the only one that came out to meet me when I landed the Eco-Copter.

"Hey Babe. Are you the only member of my welcome wagon?"

"Da. Sorry. The others are all sleeping. Gi and Kwame are having trouble adjusting to the time differences and Ma-Ti isn't feeling well. Did you have a nice trip home?"

"Yeah. It was nice. How about you? Everyone doing ok? How's Grandma?" I asked, because I was genuinely concerned. Linka's grandma is a real sweet lady.

"She is doing very well. Back to her old self. She would not let anyone else touch anything in the kitchen and made all my favorite dishes. Mishka says she goes out with some of her lady friends three times a week and she teases him that she has more of a social life than he does!" Linka said with a laugh. I love it when she laughs. Her eyes sparkle. "How is your father?"

"He's doing good. Stubborn as ever."

She grabbed one of my smaller bags and followed me to my cabin.

"Thanks. So how come you aren't suffering from the time zone jump?"

"I stayed up all night last night and slept during the day so I could get a head start on getting my internal clock back on Hope Island time. When Kwame came to pick me up, I offered to fly to pick up Gi so he could sleep. He was not tired though, so when we got Gi, she flew back to Hope Island, and I slept. I figured since it was New Years, we would be having a party, but it does not look that way."

Oh no. Me. Linka. Champagne. Midnight. This could go one of two ways. We could have a nice evening together and end it with a traditional kiss at midnight and it would be one of those high points on the "Wheeler and Linka Rollercoaster." OR we could have a nice evening together and I'd go in for the kiss, she'd completely reject me, and there'd be an awkwardness between us for days; a huge plummet downwards on the coaster. She left me to my unpacking. That was the last thing on my mind though. And that leads me to where I am now: laying on my bed staring at the ceiling pondering all the possible outcomes. This isn't helping. It's just making me more crazy. Might as well face the music. I'll go see what Linka's doing and maybe get a feel for what kind of mood she's in.

When I get to the common room, I see that Linka had apparently been preparing for New Years. There are balloons and streamers adorning the room.

"Wow Babe, you've been busy!"

"New Years is a big deal back home. It would not seem right not to celebrate it. And I know that you also like celebrating the New Year so I wanted to surprise you. I am sorry no one else will be joining the party, but oh well. It is their loss! I even brought a bottle of champagne back with me. It is chilling now. I thought everyone would be celebrating but now the two of us will have to drink the whole bottle ourselves. We cannot let it go to waste!"

"Yeah. Wasting is not the Planeteer way." I tried to cover up my unease with a lame joke. The truth is, GETTING wasted was not the Planeteer way either, but here I am with the opportunity to be alone and get drunk with Linka and I'm scared to death. However, I am encouraged by the fact that she said she wanted to surprise me. She was thinking of me when she did this. That was nice. Perhaps this is going to be a high point in our rollercoaster.

"It is too bad the others will miss watching the ball drop on TV," Linka said.

Suddenly, I got a brilliant idea. Since she loves New Years, I'm going to give her a New Years like she's never seen before in her life.

"Did you unpack yet?"

"Nyet. I started decorating as soon as I got back."

"Go grab a few things. Why watch the ball drop on TV when we can watch it in person?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry that all your decorating will go to waste, but I think you'll forgive me after you experience New Years in Times Square. But if we're gonna go, we better get moving. It's probably already super crowded."

"Let us go then!"

"And don't forget to bring the champagne" I yelled as we both ran to our cabins to grab our things.

* * *

To be continued... 


	2. Trashy New Year!

A few minutes later, we met at the Geo Cruiser and are now on our way to New York.

"Where are we going to stay Yankee? Surly there are no hotel rooms left."

"My parents went to my aunt and uncle's house for a party there. It gives them an opportunity to spend time with my little cousin Joey. They usually spend the night. We can crash at their place for the night and then head back to Hope Island tomorrow."

We arrive in Brooklyn, drop our things off at my folks', and head to the subway station. As we are waiting to catch a ride to Times Square, I hear someone calling my name. I turn around and see my ex-girlfriend, Trish waving at me.

"I thought you left this morning?" she asked.

"I came back."

"Did you miss me already?" I don't know if Trish was trying to gauge Linka's reaction to her comments or if she just didn't notice her with me.

"Uh no. I mean, I miss you, but that's not why I came back." That didn't sound good and I know it. I miss Trish, as I would miss _any_ of my old friends. I have no feelings for her as I suspect she still has for me. What can I say? I'm irresistible! Unless your name is Linka, then it's pretty easy to resist me! "Trish this is Linka. We were just gonna watch the ball drop on TV, but Linka told me she loved New Years, so I thought it'd be nice to take her to real party."

"Nice to meet ya."

"You too," Linka says, but it doesn't sound like she means it. Great. She'd gone from being in a good mood to being distant. She was mad at me. She'll never admit it, but Linka gets jealous too. And like I said, sometimes I purposely try to make her jealous, but this is definitely NOT one of those times. I wanted tonight to be a good night, not a fight. That brain of hers is probably working overtime, and in her head, she's thinking that I spent the entire week up here with Trish. The truth is, I didn't see her until the day before I left to come back to Hope Island and we hung out with a whole group of our friends. I spent the rest of my time visiting with my parents and other relatives.

"This is my friend Valerie. We're going to watch the ball drop at her boyfriend's place in the city. The hotel he works at lets the employees have a party on the roof every year. You can see Times Square perfectly. There's too many people on the ground. Way too crowded and full of stupid tourists. No offense Linka."

"None taken."

Liar. She's pissed.

"So do you guys wanna join us or what?" Trish asked.

"What'dya say Babe?"

"That is fine. We can go to this party on the roof so you do not have to put up with 'stupid tourists.'"

As if on cue, our train arrives and as we board, I say to her,

"You're a 'smart' tourist. It can get kinda gross down there, people peeing and throwing up in the streets…nasty. We're better off on the roof. Trust me. You'll still have a good time. We'll wear silly hats and have noise makers. I promise, you'll still get to experience New Years in New York." I put my arm around her shoulder to show her she is still the only person I want to spend my New Years Eve with, but she shrugs my arm off and sits down between two strangers, leaving me to stand holding onto the railing as the car lurches forward.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Trish breaks it…

"So are you two a couple?"

…and makes it even more awkward. How am I supposed to answer this? If I say yes, Linka could get mad and say no. Then I look like an idiot. If I say no, Linka could still get mad and Trish might turn up the flirting. I look to Linka for a hint as to how I should answer, but she is staring at the ground. NO DAMMIT! This was supposed to be a GOOD time for her. Now she's miserable. We should have stayed on Hope Island and celebrated alone.

"Well?" Trish said impatiently.

"Uh, no. We're just friends. Good friends." I try to get Linka to look at me so she can see in my eyes what I really mean, but she is still engrossed with that spot on the floor.

"Good. Then Linka won't mind if I steal you at midnight for a good luck kiss."

This got Linka's attention. She finally looks up.

"Uhh…" I don't know what to say. "No" would be a good idea, but I don't want to hurt Trish's feelings. C'mon Linka, save me, tell Trish that you _DO_ mind because I'm here with _you_. Instead, she goes back to looking at the floor.

"Don't worry, Val and I will find you someone to kiss at midnight Linka. There's bound to be some cute single guys there. That's what I was gonna do until Wheeler showed up."

Aw man, this isn't good at all. Not only is she going to have to watch Trish all over me, I'm going to have to watch Linka with some other guy? I know how this is going to go down: Even if she doesn't like him, she'll play it up like she did with Potato Guy. It's time to grow a set and put my foot down.

"Look Trish, I appreciate the invite, but the more I think about it, maybe Linka and I will just stick to the streets with the tourists. I brought her here to enjoy New Years, and I don't want to put her in any awkward situations with strangers at a party. Maybe you and Val should just stick to your original plan and find yourself a cute single guy. I brought Linka here so she and I could have a good time. I'm not the kinda guy that brings one girl to a party and kisses another…even if I'm only friends with the girl I brought. I hope you don't mind. Besides, I'd feel weird showing up at a party I wasn't invited to by the host."

Linka looked up at me with a small smile. I could see relief in her eyes.

"Whatever Wheeler. Just thought I'd offer you a place to party. If you've got someone else you wanna kiss at midnight, don't let me stop you."

I think that's Trish's way of saying "no biggie. If you wanna be with someone else, I'm cool with that." Trish and I go way back. We were childhood friends, and she was my first girlfriend. She was mad when I left for the Planeteers, but we had already broken up by then. It's not like I left her for the Planeteers. I think she thought we'd get back together eventually, but if I was away with the Planeteers, that would never happen. She tried, but now that she sees I've moved on, or am trying to move on with someone else, she's mature enough to step aside.

"Thanks. And thanks again for the offer."

* * *

We got off the subway and made our way to the streets above. It's a madhouse! Trish and Valerie would be heading away from the crowd towards their party. I offer my hand to Linka, hoping she has forgiven me and will take it. I'm not trying to be smooth, I just don't want us to get separated.

"Are you sure you won't reconsider and come with us?" Valerie asks. "My boyfriend really won't mind if a couple of Trish's friends come. Some other friends of ours were supposed to come, but backed out. You'd just be taking their place."

Valerie seems like a nice person. Her offer is legitimate and she's got no ulterior motives. I really do think Linka will have more fun at a rooftop party than in this crowd. I don't know what I was thinking when I first suggested we come to Times Square. I guess I'd been away so long, I forgot what it was like. But I don't want Linka to feel uncomfortable at this party. She seems to have some animosity towards Trish. Before I can politely decline, Linka tug at my hand and says,

"Wheeler, I just saw someone peeing into an empty beer bottle. I do not want to see him or someone else pick up that same bottle and accidentally drink it in a few minutes."

"Are you sure?"

"Da."

"Ok. Yeah, you know what, I think we will join you."

As we got further away from the crowd, it is no longer necessary for Linka to hold my hand to keep from getting lost in the throng of people. I loosen my grip to give her the opportunity to let go, but instead, she tightens her hold on my hand. This is a very good sign!

* * *

To be continued... 


	3. Revelations and Resolutions

When we get to the party, there are about 20-30 people there. Valerie introduces us to her boyfriend, Dan, and he makes us feel very welcome. He is very nice and promises Linka that this will be the most impressive New Year's party she's ever been to. Good, because I promised her the same thing. We make our way over to the party kits that Dan had pointed out to us and grab some party hats, beaded necklaces, and noisemakers. Linka chooses a sparkly tiara. She looks like a princess. I'll have to tell her that later. There are a few tables set up with drinking games like beer pong and flip cup. Linka never played either game before. She and I play a round of beer pong against Dan and Val. I can't believe we won! After that, we get a group gathered to play flip cup for a while. Linka's cheeks and ears are starting to turn red and it's only seven o'clock. We need to slow down if we are going to remember seeing the ball drop. I lead Linka over to the table of food and we load up our plates. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast so I was starving. Linka finished getting her food before me so she grabbed two empty seats while I continued to load up my plate. The next thing I know, a pretty girl came up to me and is being very touchy feely. She's obviously drunk, so I tolerate her slurred mumblings and straying hands for a few minutes before she sees someone she knows and screams their name then runs off to bother them. I sat down next to Linka and laughed. "Did you see that? Some people need to learn how to hold their booze huh?"

"Why do you always do that?"

"Do what? Eat? Because it's necessary to live."

"Nyet, not eating. Flirting. Is there anyone you WON'T flirt with?"

Please God, tell me this is the alcohol talking and she's not seriously mad at me for keeping a drunk girl amused for a few minutes.

"I wasn't flirting. She came up to me, she was drunk, and I was just laughing at her because I couldn't understand a word she was saying."

"Well what about with Trish? She wasn't drunk."

"I wasn't flirting with her, she was flirting with me. And that's just how she is. She's got a flirty personality. But look, she's backed off now that she knows I'm not interested."

"Well if you are interested, do not let me stop you. After all, I am not your girlfriend. I am just here to see the ball drop." Then she gets up and walks away.

And so the ride starts all over again. I hope this latest outburst can be chalked up to the alcohol, but she can't possibly be that drunk off just a few gulps of beer. I mean, she's Russian! Oh well, time to start that familiar dance we do.

"LINKA WAIT!" I grab her arm and make her look at me. "What are you talking about? I brought you here because I wanted to do something special for you on New Years."

"What about what I wanted to do for you on New Years? I decorated for you and we had the place to ourselves. I thought you would have liked that. Obviously you did not want to be alone with me or else you would not have wanted to come here to the most crowded place on Earth!"

"No, that's not it at all! I thought since you liked New Years, you'd want to experience this. Believe me. I've done this before, I'd much rather have spent a quiet night in on Hope Island with you. I even thought about that on the subway ride over here. I regretted not staying on Hope Island. But I did this for you. We can leave now and go back to Hope Island if you don't want to be here. I just thought you wanted a big party. You seemed disappointed that no one else was going to be watching the ball drop with us."

"And it was very convenient that your girlfriend just happened to be at the subway station just waiting for you and making plans to kiss you at midnight."

"EX-girlfriend. Dammit Linka, that was 6 or 7 years ago. We broke up before I joined the Planeteers and haven't been together since."

"You do not have to lie to me. I am a big girl, I can take it."

"I'M NOT LYING! Look, you've obviously had a little too much to drink. Let's just go sit down, finish our food, and let some of that alcohol soak up, ok?"

"I am not drunk! Durak!" And she storms off. Now I'm pissed. So I go after her.

"Why do _YOU_ always do _THAT_?!" I ask, taking her previous question to me and turning it around on her.

"What?"

"You get pissed at me, yell, call me names in Russian, and then walk away. You never tell me WHY you're mad at me. Am I just supposed to guess? If I knew what I did, I'd apologize, or explain, but I have no clue. You always do it though. Just when we get close, you push me away. Right when I think 'this is it' two seconds later, you're ripping my heart out. Why? Why do you always do that?"

"When did I do that?"

"Remember Greg the french fry guy?"

"Da."

"That was right after everything that happened in Russia." I said.

"Not right after."

"A couple months." Something is bothering her now. She's lost her fighting spirit. "What happened? I thought we were getting somewhere. I felt something that day; I thought you felt it too."

"Maybe you imagined it."

"Imagined it? Linka, _YOU_ kissed _ME_!"

"AND THEN YOU KISSED HER!"

"What? Who?"

"TRISH! When you went back to New York, just a few weeks after what happened between us in Russia."

"How did you…?"

"Gaia told us that Skumm was involved in starting problems in New York and that you might need our help. When we left LA, we went to New York. We arrived at the pier just in time to see you kiss her. Suddenly, all the other Planeteers were looking at me, telling me how sorry they were. I felt so stupid. I cried. I cried over you, and they saw me."

"I'm sorry. It was a spur of the moment thing. I just saved her life. She was thankful, and I was glad she was ok. It never went any further than that. I left the next day and haven't seen or talked to her until I came back to New York last week for Christmas. Linka, I swear to you. I don't have feelings for her anymore. That kiss was just an impulse. I felt nothing. As a matter of fact, all it did was remind me of when you kissed me. And how different it felt, how _RIGHT_ it felt."

She's looking at me as if she wants to believe me. I have to tell her that it's the truth and that I was just as hurt by her open flirting with Mr. french fry. We need to get this out in the open so we can stop hurting each other.

"Linka when we were at that fry factory, I didn't trust Greg and I had reason to. It was so obvious he was working against trying to make the factory eco-friendly and yet you kept defending him. I know you were only doing it to make me mad. It worked. But then you kept at it. You were flirting with him and that's not like you. It was very apparent you were doing it to get under my skin. That hurt. Knowing that you were doing it on purpose hurt even more. Now I know that you were doing it because of what you saw between Trish and me but back then, I had no idea. And no one else seemed to want to take my side or feel bad for me. Now I know why."

"Wheeler, you have double standards. You flirt with girls all the time to make me jealous, but when I do it ONCE, then it's a problem?"

"It was the timing. Everything was different after Russia. Everything you said and did, I analyzed and examined more closely. I'll admit, I flirted with alot of girls, but every time, it was to get a reaction from you. I needed to see you get jealous, but I never acted on it or flaunted it in front of your face like you did to me with Greg."

"Do you think it hurts any less because you didn't act on it? I knew you were trying to make me jealous. You started this game of purposely hurting feelings."

She had me there. Guilty as charged.

"And now I'm going to end it. From now on, no more hurting each other. If I flirt with anyone, it's gonna be you. And if you shoot me down, I won't try to make you jealous by flirting with someone else, I'll just try harder next time. Deal?"

"Deal."

I think I'm gonna try and seal this deal with a kiss. I step closer to her and look her in the eyes as I take her hands in mine. Then I lean down and am so close to her, I can feel her breath on my lips. Just as our lips touch, there is a loud pop followed by whistles and applause and we both jump back "SHIT!" I thought we were under attack. After the World Trade Center was bombed in 1993, my mom had always said, "If terrorists really wanted to do damage, they'd attack Times Square on New Years." I thought this was it. Then I saw the real cause of the explosion.

"What was that?!" She asks.

"Fireworks. Those dumbasses in the building next to us are setting off fireworks from their roof. How stupid can you be?" That was it. The moment was gone. My next chance probably won't be until midnight. I've waited this long, what's another four and a half hours?

"Wow, we barely kiss and we see fireworks. Imagine what would have happened if we had actually kissed!" Linka joked. That's a good sign. We can put our latest fight behind us.

And so we drank. We play a few games of flip cup and quarters and are feeling pretty good. It is cold outside, not freezing, but still cold. Dan's hotel has provided outdoor patio heaters to keep us warm, plus the alcohol helps keep our body temperatures up. My face is burning. I can feel it.

"What is going on over there?" Linka asks.

I look over to see what the crowd she was pointing at was doing. Oh my.

"Body shots, Babe."

"What is that?"

"Why don't we go over there and you can have a look for yourself?"

Of course when we get there, it's none other than Trish laying on the table with a group of guys lined up to take a turn…maybe she should have kept the nickname "Trash!"

The look on Linka's face goes from one of curiosity, to mild disgust, to shock. When I look over at her, her mouth is wide open in awe.

"That is…interesting." She finally says.

We watch several more times. Then Trish notices Linka and me standing there.

"Hey Wheeler, come do a shot!"

"No thank you."

"What'sa matter? Scared?"

"As a matter of fact, I am. God only knows what kinda germs are crawling all over you right now!"

The crowd replies with an "Oooooooooooh"

"C'mon Linka, wanna give it a try?" Trish asks.

"I am not drinking anything off you either!"

All the guys let out a disappointed "Awwwww," and some "boooos." Not me. I'm relieved.

"No, I mean do you wanna try being the human shot glass? It'll be a good way to find someone to kiss at midnight. Look at all the prospects I've got lined up!"

Now Trish was just being stupid. There's no way Linka was drunk enough to let anyone take a shot off her. Besides, she's way too shy.

"Ok."

WHAT?!

"Alright, 'atta girl!" Trish exclaims. "C'mon up here on the table and I'll get you set up."

* * *

To be continued... 


	4. A Shot in the Dark

I can't believe what I'm seeing. My ex girlfriend teaching my…whatever, how to be a human shot glass. I don't like this at all. So there's my quiet, reserved Linka laying on a table with a lime in her mouth and her shirt pulled up to expose her stomach…her smooth, tight stomach. Geez, snap out of it Wheeler. You gotta stop her.

"So who wants to go first?" Trish asks.

Every guy there raises his hand.

"How 'bout the cute red head in the back? C'mon up, don't be shy."

I make my way up to the table and pull Trish aside. "Trish, this isn't a good idea. She's a little drunk. She's gonna be pissed when she wakes up tomorrow and remembers this." I whisper to her.

"Aw, c'mon Wheeler. Don't be a prude. She wouldn't have agreed to do it if she didn't want to. But, I think she had one person in mind to take the first shot. So you gonna be a man, or you gonna be a wuss?"

"There's difference between a 'wuss' and a 'gentleman.'" I say. But it's too late, Trish is already pouring the tequila onto Linka's stomach. I'm sober enough to know better, but drunk enough to be able to blame it on the alcohol if she gets mad at me for it tomorrow! Sorry Linka, I couldn't help myself. The beer made me do it! Yeah, I can rationalize my way out of trouble. Besides, either I do it, or one of these sleaze balls does it. At least if I do it, I won't be looking at her like she's just a piece of meat like they are. I'm actually doing her a favor. Well then, that settles it, pour me a "Linka body shot!"

She is so wasted. She's looking at me with this silly grin on her face and her inhibitions are totally gone. She's also giggling uncontrollably which is causing the tequila Trish poured onto her stomach to spill so it needed to be refilled.

Linka takes the lime out of her mouth and asks, "Wheeler, what am I doing?!" between giggles.

"I don't know Babe. You don't have to do this. There's no shame in chickening out."

"I AM NOT CHICKENING OUT! Besides, then this tequila would go to waste."

See, I'm not the only one doing the drunken rationalization. And she had a point. So I place the lime back in her mouth, grab the saltshaker, lick her neck so the salt would stick, and sprinkle some salt onto that spot. I lean down, lick the salt off, then suck the tequila off her stomach and out of her navel, and finally bite into the lime that she's holding between her teeth. This moment right here may very well be the best moment of my life. Once I'm done sucking the juice out of the lime, I look up at the crowd, slam my fist on the table and shout "HIT ME!" and then she does! I look at her, expecting to see anger in her eyes, but I don't. I see confusion. So I ask,

"What was that for?"

"I do not know. Because you said to!" she says innocently.

"No Linka, that's what you say after you do a shot and you want another one!"

"Oh. Ok." She then looks at Trish and says "HIT HIM!"

The whole crowd erupts in laughter and after Trish gets done pouring the tequila and getting Linka a fresh lime, she whispers "You're welcome Wheeler" so that only I can hear. I take back what I said earlier about how she should have kept the nickname "Trash." She's alright by me!

So we start our second shot. Only this time, I built up the courage to use more salt. I lick from her collarbone all the way to behind her ear and sprinkle the salt, making sure it sticks. Then I lick it off, making sure I get every single grain. After all, spilling salt is bad luck. I take a chance and look her in the eyes while I'm doing this. Is that…approval? Encouragement? Desire? On down to the tequila, once again, making sure I get every last drop. Lime time; I'm less concerned with wrapping my lips around the lime and more concerned about wrapping my lips around hers. We both bite into the lime and suck out the juices. Once we've completely devastated and violated that poor lime, I spit it out and go right back to her lips. Then I pick her up in my arms and carry her away from the prying eyes. As we move away from the crowd, I hear Trish say, "Sorry fellas, I think she found her midnight kiss!" Damn right she did!

Once we get to a quiet corner, I sit down and set her on my lap. I lean my forehead against hers and wait for the world to stop spinning. I didn't know if it was because of the alcohol, lack of oxygen, or trying to wrap my brain around what just happened. As we sit in silence, she leans her head on my shoulder, squeezes her eyes shut, and presses her forehead into my neck.

"Are you ok?" I ask.

She responds by nodding her head and saying a muffled "Mmm Hmm."

I start to rub my hand in circles on her back in a comforting gesture. I don't know if she's feeling sick or regretful.

"Are you sure? If you're sick, we can go, or maybe someone here has some medicine. Surely someone brought something for sickness!"

"Wheeler, I am not sick. I am fine."

"Oh. Ok. You don't regret what just happened do you?" I had to ask.

"Do you?"

"No."

"Then why would I?" She asks.

I had to be honest with her. "Because that's what you always do. You get quiet and then you get distant, and then we pretend nothing happened. I don't wanna do that any more Linka. I want us to remember this, and acknowledge it, and I want it to happen again and again."

She turns to face me and responds to my concerns by kissing me. After a while, we pull apart and she resumes her previous position tucked under my chin. I guess I have my answer! Once again, we sit in silence.

"Wheeler?"

"Yeah?"

"I was not regretting what happened. I was savoring the moment."

Hearing that brings the biggest smile to my face. That's all I need to know.

"How much time until midnight?" She asks.

"A half hour."

"Can we just stay here until then? I need to take a break."

"Sure thing Babe," I say as I press my lips to the top of her head and wrap my arms around her. Her New Year's tiara is tickling my neck, but I don't dare move it. "You know, this tiara makes you look like a princess." She doesn't say anything, she just wraps her arms around my waist and gives me a squeeze. Nice.

* * *

To be continued...Hopefully I'm around to get the "Midnight" chapter up tomorrow in time for New Years Eve. 


	5. Midnight Kisses

It doesn't feel like it's been that long, but Trish is standing in front of us reminding us of the time.

"Hey you two, the ball's gonna drop in five minutes. You better come find a spot so you have a good view and get a good picture."

"Thanks Trish. Be right there." Then I turn to Linka and ask, "Did you bring a camera?"

"Nyet. I didn't even think to grab it before I left."

"Don't worry about it," Trish says. "I got a camera. I'll send you the pictures. I've got a few other ones you might like to keep!"

"Thanks." Linka and I stand up and follow Trish out into the open where a group is starting to gather around the side of the roof. "If you didn't bring a camera, what's in the bag you've been carrying around all night?"

"Our champagne and some ice packs!"

"Well stop holding out on me, let's pop it open!"

"Are you sure we should mix? We have already had beer and shots. We will be sorry later!"

"No regrets tonight Linka, remember?" I ask.

"I did not know that included ill advised over consumption! Remember Wheeler, over consumption is a serious global problem." She jokes.

"Yeah yeah. But as citizens of two of the most powerful countries of the world, it is our Patriotic duty to over consume!" I exclaim as I shoot the cork into the air.

"You are a horrible, horrible Planeteer Yankee!"

I silence her by putting the bottle to her lips and tipping it upwards. "Drink up Russkie Tootskie!"

Then I take my turn taking a few swings from the bottle.

"THERE IT GOES!" Someone yells.

We look up and see the ball beginning its decent. I put my arm around Linka's shoulder and pull her closer. In return, she puts her arm around my waist. We look at each other for the briefest of moments and then return our gazes to the dropping ball of light. I take another couple of gulps of champagne and then offer her the bottle.

The crowd begins counting down so we join them.

"5….4….3….2….1….HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!"

Confetti is falling from the sky from buildings higher than ours, fireworks are going off, and I'm two inches away from the only person that matters to me in the world.

"Happy New Year Babe."

"S Novym Godom Yankee."

And now we're kissing. Wow, I've never been kissed like this before. I hope I'm conveying my feelings for her as convincingly as she's conveying her feelings for me. I can't believe I ever doubted how she felt about me. She's always cared, she's just better at showing it than saying it…which is fine by me! Her arms are around my neck, holding my head and burying her fingers in my hair. My arms are slung low around her waist, holding her as close to me as I can. I can still taste the champagne mixed with a hint of lime! I think for the rest of my life, when I smell or taste lime, I'll think of Linka. When the need for oxygen becomes more essential than the need for each other, we reluctantly separate, but don't go far. Our foreheads and noses are still touching, our lips are a fraction of an inch apart and we're sucking in as much air as we can so we can resume our New Year's kiss. I'm still holding the bottle of champagne in my hand and it's seriously getting in the way. There are other things I'd rather be doing with that hand. I pull away slightly to down as much of the drink as I can, but still can't finish the bottle. Linka laughs and takes her turn with the bubbly. Despite her best efforts, she can't get it all down. There's only a little bit left so I finally empty the bottle and slip it back into her bag…I don't see a recycling bin around here.

Without words, we start again. Our time apart had been less than a minute, but it felt like forever. With both hands free now, I'm able to run them up and down her back, into her hair, and anywhere else they'll reach. She has such an effect on me, I feel like my legs are about to give out. Maybe it's her, maybe it's the champagne. I think it's her. I'm moderately aware that by now, everyone else has probably ended their kiss, leaving Linka and I to be the center of attention. I don't care. I want everyone to know. The kiss finally ends, but once more, our foreheads remain touching and as I hold her face in my hands, we continue with shorter, lighter kisses every few seconds. Linka's a little more modest than me though, and when she pulls away, she looks down. Her face is red. I wrap my arms around her back Her face is buried in my chest and my hand is buried in her hair and she's giggling.

"That was nice," I say. She starts laughing even harder. "What's so funny?"

"That is the understatement of the year!"

"Well that's not fair, the year is only a few minutes old!" We step apart and I take her hand. "I think I need to sit down. I shouldn't have chugged half that bottle!"

"Da. I feel like the building is spinning."

"Hey, look who finally decided to come up for air!" Trish says.

I sure hope my Brooklyn accent doesn't sound like hers because right now, it's like nails on a chalkboard. My head is starting to pound now. I'm going to regret this in the morning.

"Did you find someone to kiss?" I ask her.

"Yeah, it only lasted a few seconds though! I'm glad Linka got stuck with you instead of me. Girl, you must have one hell of a lung capacity! What's your magic Planeteer power? Air?"

"Actually, da. It kind of is! Mine is wind."

Both girls are now laughing hysterically, like that was the funniest thing they've ever heard and they're the best of friends. Well, at least Linka's gotten over her anger over Trish kissing me last year. Or maybe she's just too drunk to care. Either way, I'm happy she's laughing. I just wish they wouldn't be so loud.

* * *

The party has died down by now and many of the people have either gone home or are getting ready to leave. Linka and I are waiting for Trish before we leave. Valerie is staying with Dan and I don't want Trish travelling home by herself. I don't know what good I'll be. If anyone tries to start anything with us, I'll probably be the first to go down. I guess I over estimated my alcohol tolerance. I don't drink often and when I do, it's usually always in moderation. The only time I was ever this bad was my 21 st birthday.

The ride home so far has been uneventful which is a good thing. Uneventful is good. Eventful would mean I've puked all over these nice people in the subway car. As we get off at our stop, I trip and Linka struggles to keep me up right. Climbing the steps to my parent's place is taking much longer than it should. I keep falling backwards. I'm gonna end up taking Linka down with me and hurting her. I'll never forgive myself if I hurt her. She's pretty.

"LINKA!" I say, a little louder than necessary.

"Yes Wheeler?"

"You're pretty."

"Thank you."

"I don't wanna hurt you." I slur.

"You will not hurt me. We have a deal, remember? No more hurting each other."

"If I fall down and land on you, it'll hurt."

"Then I guess I will have to keep you on your feet." She gets behind me, puts her hands on my butt and pushes me up the steps!

"That's nice. YOU'RE NICE." I wonder if I'm slurring my words as much as she is?

"Sssh, Wheeler. Keep your voice down. People are probably trying to sleep."

"Sorry. SORRY PEOPLE WHO ARE SLEEPING, I'LL BE QUIET NOW, GO BACK TO SLEEP."

"Wheeler!"

"Oops. That was loud. Do you forgive me?"

"Da. I forgive you."

"Linka?"

"Da?"

"I love you."

"I know. You love everyone. You have told everyone we passed on the street that you loved them."

"No, I wasn't talking to them, I was talking to you. It just seemed like I was talking to them because there were three of you, and I didn't know which one to look at….HEY, WE'RE AT MY PARENTS' DOOR! We should probably be quiet. They're probably sleeping."

"Wheeler! You said they were not going to be here! I do not want to meet them for the first time in this condition."

"What condition? Are you ok?"

"I am drunk. Not as much as you, but still I'm in no state to meet your parents! I just want to lay down."

"Don't worry Babe, this place is no stranger to drunks. My mom's used to it. You'll fit right in!"

"That is not the point! You said they would not be here."

"Oh, that's right. They're not. Wait, how are we supposed to get in?" I ask.

"Do you not have a key?!"

"Oh yeah. It's in my pocket…you wanna reach in there and get it?!"

"Nyet."

"Ok, but I'm going to, so don't say I didn't offer."

"I won't. Now hurry up, I have to pee!"

I started cracking up. Linka said "pee."

Once inside, Linka grabs her bag and heads to the bathroom to get ready for bed. While she's doing that, I'm also getting ready for bed, which is easy since all I do is take off my clothes and sleep in my boxers. I know I'm sleeping on the couch tonight, but for some reason, I've sat down on my bed and I can't seem to get up. So I lay down. I still can't get up from this position either. And now the room is spinning even more than it was before. This was a HUGE mistake. Linka walks into the room and she has also put on her pajamas. Shorts and a tank top. She's so hot.

"You're so hot!" Hmm, I seem to have forgotten how to say things in my head without also saying them out loud…oh well.

She's surprised to see me.

"Oh sorry. I thought you were sleeping on the couch," she says.

"I am. I'm not right now, but I will be, just as soon as I'm able to get up."

"Why don't you stay there? I can take the couch."

"No no no. That'd be rude of me. You take my bed. Just pull me up." I hold my hand up and she pulls. Big mistake. A sudden wave of nausea hits me and I run past her into the bathroom. After I finish puking my guts out, Linka comes up behind me and offers me a glass of water and some Tylenol. I take the offering and rest my head on the side of the tub. The cool porcelain feels so nice. As if she read my mind, Linka is putting a cool washcloth on the back of my neck. Every few minutes, she gets up to run it under cold water again and wipes the rag over my face, neck, and back.

"I am making us some toast and boiling water for tea," she says.

She's an angel sent from Heaven to take care of me!

"Wait, why aren't you as messed up as me?"

"Well, for one thing, I did not have as much beer except for a few gulps during our games of beer pong and flip cup. What did me in was all the jello shots I did which lead to my decision to become a participant in the body shots. Then there was the champagne. Plus, you were the one drinking the tequila during the body shots, not me, and that was after you had beer. Do you not know, 'Beer before liquor makes you sicker?' Also, you drank more of the champagne than I did. But the real reason as to why I am not as 'messed up' as you is…I am Russian."

"So what? I'm Irish"

"Full blooded?"

"No. I'm like, Irish, Italian, German, I think I got some Swedish, and one of my great-grandparents was Ukrainian I think."

"Ahh, you have got a little Soviet in you?"

"How about I have a little Soviet _ON_ me?" I tried to pull her towards me, but she was more interested in my family history apparently.

"Why did you never tell me you had Soviet descendents?"

"I don't."

"You just said you were Ukrainian. They used to be part of the Soviet Union."

"I thought that was just Russia."

"And about 14 other countries, which back then, were called 'Republics'! You did not know that?"

"No. I thought it was Russia"

"What do you think was meant by the dissolution of the Soviet Union?"

"I thought they just changed Russia's name when it stopped being communist."

"Bozhe moy Yankee! It means all those other republics became independent countries. What did they teach you in school?"

"I don't know; the important stuff like English, reading, math, _**American**_ history." She's shaking her head at me. "What? Why should I be expected to know stuff that doesn't affect me? Can you name all the US Presidents?"

"Can you?"

I guess my blank stare is her answer. But I still kinda made my point. Besides, she was a Planeteer when that all happened. She should have educated me about it then. I'm sure she would have if I asked. And I would have asked…if I knew what the hell was going on in the first place.

Linka ruffled my hair and went to tend to the tea and toast.

"Do you want to eat it in here or can you make it out to the kitchen?"

"I'm comin' out there. There's something about eating food in the bathroom that just makes me feel more nauseous. I'll be out as soon as I brush my teeth."

My headache seems to have lessened already. She pours my tea and places my toast on a plate in front of me. As we eat in silence, I'm lost in thought.

"What if I turn out to be like him?" I ask.

"Like who?"

"My dad."

"Wheeler, one night of drinking too much does not make you an alcoholic. We are young and were just having a good time. It is not like you do this all the time, and you do not need alcohol to function."

"But I wanted to get drunk. I knew I shouldn't have drank so much. You even warned me about 'over consumption.'"

"I was only kidding. Listen Yankee, New Year's is the biggest drinking holiday of the year. It is expected. Besides, do you like feeling this way?"

"Hell no!"

"Do you want to go out drinking tomorrow?"

"No way! I'm never drinking again!"

"Well then, you will make a lousy alcoholic, because I am pretty sure drinking is a requirement," she says, placing a kiss on my temple. "You are not your father. You are your own man. A good man. I am sure your father is a good man now too. It just took him a while to get there. You are there already." Now she is rubbing her hand in circles across my back. It feels so good and I'm starting to feel much better.

"Thanks Babe." I stood up and gave her a hug.

"You should sleep in your own bed. It is closer to the bathroom. I will be fine on the couch."

"No, I'm feeling better. You take the bed."

"Wheeler, I'm not fighting you on this. Now go!" She says as she pushes me towards my room. How can I tell her that I can't sleep in this room? That it gives me nightmares. I found that out the hard way when I came home for Christmas. The first two nights, I got no sleep. Once I decided to try sleeping on the couch, I was fine. I just kept telling my parents that I fell asleep on the couch while watching TV. They seemed to believe me. I can't tell her. I'm 22. I'm too old for nightmares.

She pulls my sheets down and I climb in.

"Good night Yankee. Thank you for a wonderful New Years." She bends down to kiss my cheek.

"You're welcome."

She turns to leave, but I grab her hand to stop her and sit up.

"Are you ok?" She asks.

"Don't go," I plead.

"Do you need something?"

"Yes. You. Stay with me?"

"Nyet Wheeler. Not tonight. Not like this."

"No, that's not what I mean. Come lay down with me. Just until I fall asleep."

"I cannot. You know what will happen, and I do not want it to happen like this."

"I promise Linka. I'm not going to try anything. Trust me."

"I do trust you. I do not trust myself. You…affect me. In a good way. I want to stay. I do. But I can not. As intoxicated as I am, I would not be able to control myself. It is not just the alcohol that intoxicates me, it is you as well."

Wow. That's a pretty big confession coming from her. She's not usually so forth coming with declarations of her feelings, but I know exactly what she's talking about.

"Yeah. I know what you mean. The whole time we were kissing, I didn't know if it was you or the alcohol that was making me dizzy, so I understand." I know she's right.

"Goodnight," I say reluctantly. Hopefully, I have happy dreams about my future with Linka instead of nightmares from my past.

"Ya lublu tebya," she says, once more bending down to give me a kiss, only this time, instead of the cheek, it's on the lips and she lingers there a little longer.

"Does that mean 'goodnight?'"

"Nyet. Goodnight is 'Dobre viechir'"

Then what's 'Ya lu blue ti biah' mean?" I ask, although I have a feeling I already know.

"You will figure it out eventually." She says as she walks out the door.

"Linka!" I call after her.

"Da?"

I decide to take a shot at the meaning of her words, "I love you too."

"I know." She smiles at me before heading down the hall to the couch.

* * *

To be continued... 


	6. Nightmares and Sweet Dreams

_He's finally home. I look at the beside clock and see that it's almost midnight. I had been asleep, but the slamming door woke me up. Pretty soon he'll be hollering about his dinner being cold. If he'd have been home at dinner time, he could have had it warm like Ma and I did. She'll put it in the microwave and he'll bitch the whole time about how she should have had it ready before he got home. She probably would have, if she'd have known what time he was coming home. It's different every night. Sometimes it's sooner. Sometimes it's after the bars close. My teachers wonder why I'm always tired or falling asleep in class. It's because I get woken up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. Then I get bad grades and he yells about that. Hitting me isn't going to make me smarter, Dad. Maybe a good night's sleep will. I can take the abuse. Physical and verbal. I won't cry. I think it makes him mad that I don't cry. It's like he wants to see it. He sure does like making Ma cry. I can't stand it when he yells at her or hurts her. I wanna hurt him back, but I'm afraid instead of taking his anger out on me, he'll direct it towards her. The yelling has started. He doesn't like re-heated food. It makes it tough and rubbery. Doesn't he understand it's his fault? I hear the plate crash to the floor. Why is he yelling at her? Now he's yelling at her to stop crying. Does this guy not have a brain? Of course she's going to cry. He's hurting her feelings. What a dumbass. What was that noise? Did he just smack her? That's what it sounds like when he hits me. I've never known him to hit her before. Maybe if I go out there, he'll leave her alone and start on me. When I get to the kitchen and stand in the doorway, I see Ma on the floor, crying and holding her, cheek. _

"_Get up" he says "Get up and clean up this mess. But first make me a real damn meal!" _

_Neither one of them has seen me yet. "Why don't you make it yourself? And clean up your own damn mess?!"_

"_What did you say to me boy?"_

"_Go back to bed dear."_

"_I said, you made the mess, you clean it up. If you wanted a hot meal, you shoulda been home at dinnertime. Otherwise, why don't you just stop at McDonald's on your way home from the bar!"_

_Instead of coming after me, he goes after my mom. He grabs her arm roughly and yanks her up off the floor._

"_Is this how you raised him? You let him talkback to adults? I work hard to provide for this family. I deserve to go out with the guys."_

"_Work harder. This place is a dump!" I yell._

_Once again, he grabs my mom and starts shaking her._

"_What kinda mother are you? This kid has no manners and no respect for authority."_

"_Leave her alone!"_

"_Or what? You gonna do something?"_

"_If you hurt her, I'll hurt you!"_

"_I'd like to see you try, you ungrateful brat!" Then he backhands her._

"_NOOOO!" I scream._

"Wheeler?"

_Then he pushes her so hard, she loses her balance and falls against the cabinets._

"_STOP IT!"_

"Wheeler!"

_He starts coming towards me with his hand poised to strike and I scream._

"WHEELER!"

_Now he's shaking me._

"_GET OFF ME!" I take a swing at him and connect. He's got a hold of my hands. I feel like I can't breathe. My chest is heavy. Somehow, he's suffocating me._

"WHEELER STOP!"

Suddenly my eyes fly open and I see Linka. She's hovering above me, straddling my torso while pinning my hands above my head. Once I realize it was only a nightmare, I relax and she releases my hands. She sits up which moves her off my chest and down to my stomach. She's still straddling me, but now she's on her knees, supporting her own weight. My breathing is starting to return to normal.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Just a bad dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nothing to talk about. I have these dreams when I sleep here. I spent my whole trip here last week sleeping on the couch after getting no sleep the first two nights."

"Why did you not say something? I thought you only wanted to sleep on the couch because you were being nice. If I had known sleeping here gave you nightmares, I would have switched."

"It's no big deal. I didn't want to bring it up."

"Is that why you wanted me to stay with you until you fell asleep?"

"Yeah." I look down because I'm embarrassed. A grown man shouldn't need someone to stay with him to scare away the boogey man.

"You should have told me. I would have stayed."

"I didn't want it to seem like I was using that as an excuse to get you to stay. I wanted you to stay because _YOU_ wanted to stay."

"I would have wanted to stay had I known that you _NEEDED_ me to stay. But I am here now. I am staying." She grimaces when her hand brushes against her cheek as she sweeps a strand of hair behind her ear. It looks red and a little swollen.

"What happened there?" I reach up to touch it, but she turns away.

"It is nothing. I came in here and you were thrashing about. I just was not quick enough to react."

"In my dream, I took a swing at my old man…Oh my God…I hit you instead!" I sit up which isn't easy considering she's still sitting across my abdomen. She moves back so that she's now straddling my hips and now it's easier for me to sit up all the way. "I'm so sorry Babe."

"It is ok Wheeler, it was an accident. You did not mean to do it."

"I know, but I still feel bad."

"It was not that bad. It just stings a little now. You did not even fully connect."

"Do you think it'll leave a bruise?"

"Nyet. Stop worrying. All is forgiven." She leans forward and gives me a quick kiss, wraps her arms around me, and rests her head on my shoulder.

"I don't ever want to hurt you like he hurt her," I whisper in her ear.

"I know. And you will not. Not on purpose anyways!"

I can feel her smile against my neck.

"Do you wanna hit me back? Go ahead. I'll give you a free shot at me!"

"Can I save it for another time?"

"Sure."

A few minutes pass and I'm not sure if she's still awake.

"Linka?"

"Hmm?"

"You don't have to stay with me. Or you can stay here and I'll go take the couch."

"Nyet. I am comfortable right here. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, eventually though, I might wanna lay down."

"Are you tired?" she asks.

"No. That nightmare got my adrenalin pumpin' and now I'm wide awake."

"Me too. You scared me when I heard you yelling."

"Sorry."

"Sssh, it is ok. Just relax now."

Kinda hard to do when she's kissing my neck like that. And her hands are massaging my back. I didn't realize how tense I was until I feel my muscles relax under her touch. But she _REALLY_ needs to quit squirming around like she is.

"Linka, hold still!"

"What?"

"I need you to move."

"Well make up your mind. Do you want me to stay still or move?"

"I need you to move from where you're sitting. You're umm…waking me up..."

"You mean when I do this?"

"Mmm hmm."

"What about this?"

"Yes!"

How about…"

"LINKA!" She's trying to kill me. "I just wanted you to stay to sleep. I'm not expecting anything more from you. You don't need to…"

"I know. But I told you, I can't help myself." She keeps workin' her magic and shows no signs of stopping.

"Well, you knew that would happen. I guess you were right."

"I like being right." She says as she lays the mother of all kisses on me. It's been hours since we've stopped drinking. I've sobered up, so I know she has to be too. This isn't the alcohol talking, it's her. She's pretty aggressive. I'd have never guessed that about her. I lay down, bringing her with me, our lips never breaking contact. This is by far, the best night of my life and it just keeps getting better. Oh my God. She's good. I don't know if she's just making this all up as she goes and acting on impulse or if she's done this before. I suddenly feel very jealous thinking of her ever makin' out with another guy. I think for now, I'll just enjoy the moment and do everything in my power to keep her in my life. She's mine now and I intend to show her that I'm never letting her go.


	7. Rude Awakenings

When I wake up, I'm a little disoriented. It doesn't take me long to figure out I'm in my old bed. It's all very familiar, except for one thing…I'm holding Linka in my arms. Her back pressed against my chest, her head resting on my arm, my legs entangled with hers…I could stay like this all day. What time is it anyways? Oh no!

"Linka get up!"

She just groans and buries her head into my arm.

"C'mon Babe, we gotta get dressed and get outta here!"

"I am thinking I might be using that punch I owe you if you do not stop fidgeting."

"It's almost noon! My parents could come home any second!"

"Chyort voz'mi! Why did you not wake me up sooner!" She says as she throws the covers back and begins looking for clothes.

"I just woke up too. Here," I say as I toss her shirt at her, but she's already digging through her overnight bag and pulling out her regular clothes. I pull a pair of boxers on and then put on my jeans. "Hey," I say as I grab her shoulder and turn her to face me. I put my hands on her hips to get her to stand still and utter "Good morning, Beautiful" against her lips.

She gives in long enough to return my kiss and say "Good morning…now HURRY."

In record time, we've cleaned up after ourselves and put all the dishes away. If it weren't for the note I left letting my parents know that I had spent the night after an impromptu trip to the city, you'd have never known anyone was there. We climb the stairs to the top of the building where we parked the Geo Cruiser and head back to Hope Island.

* * *

"Sorry everything was so rushed this morning. We didn't really get to start the morning off right. You know, wake up slowly, cuddle for a bit, make you my specialty for breakfast, tell you how great last night was, et cetera." 

"Et cetera?"

"Yeah, you can fill in the blanks yourself."

She laughs that perfect laugh of hers.

"Well, you will just have to make it up to me next time."

"I will. I promise. I need you to promise me something though Linka."

"What is it?"

"When we get back to Hope Island, promise me things won't change. Promise me we can still say and do the things we did in New York."

"I cannot make that promise Wheeler."

Ever wonder what it feels like to get your heart ripped out and handed to you? I can tell you exactly how it feels if you'd like to know.

"We were not working last night. When we get back to Hope Island, we will be with the Planeteers and have a job to do, Yankee. We cannot lose focus and disrupt the group. However, I _can_ promise you that my feelings towards you will not change. And when we are not on a mission or have free time around the island, I want to spend my time with you."

"That's all I needed to hear. Oh, and are we gonna tell the others?"

"Well, they do not need to know details, but yes, I was planning on telling Gi what a wonderful time I had and _SOME_ of the things we did. Particularly the midnight kiss. I think Gi will appreciate that since she is into romantic stuff like that."

"Yeah, I can't wait to tell the guys about the body shots!"

"NYET! What will they think of me?!"

"I don't give a damn what they think about you! They're gonna think I'm the luckiest guy alive!"

"Fine, if you are going to tell them something embarrassing that I did, I will tell them that you can't hold your alcohol and you threw up."

"Be my guest. I'll tell them you snore!"

"I DO NOT!"

"I know, but they'll believe me if I say you do. Everyone who snores denies doing it."

"Well that is just lying. I can make up lies about you too."

"Go ahead. Take your best shot," I challenge.

"Ok. I will tell them you have no stamina!" She says with an evil laugh.

"I DO NOT! I GOT PLENTY OF STAMINA…or have you forgotten?"

"I know, but they will believe me if I say you do not. Everyone who has no stamina denies it."

She's using my own words against me. That's not right.

"Fine. I won't tell them you snore."

* * *

We arrive back on Hope Island a few hours later. The welcome we receive isn't exactly what I would describe as "warm." 

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WE WERE WORRIED SICK!" Gi chastises.

"We thought you were kidnapped!" Kwame says.

"Whoa, chill. I kidnapped Linka and took her to New York for New Year's. I'd have invited you guys to come along, but you party poopers were sleeping. How ya feelin' Ma-Ti? Better?"

"Yes. A little. I was the one that discovered you were not here when I came to the kitchen to mix some herbal medicine. I saw that the commons area was set up for a party, but it did not look like anyone had been there. There were no glasses, no food, and when I turned on the TV, the 24 hour news channel was on, not the channel that normally shows the New Year's celebrations."

"Da, that was me. When I was decorating, I had on the news because they were showing New Year's celebrations from around the world when it turned midnight in each time zone."

"I checked your room, Wheeler, and saw that your bags were here so you must have come back to Hope Island. Then I checked Linka's room and got no answer when I knocked, so I looked in and once again, saw bags, but no sign of her. I know you took the Eco-Copter to New York for Christmas, but it was returned and now the Geo Cruiser was gone. Kwame and Gi were just waking up so I asked them if either of you said anything to them about going somewhere, but they had been asleep all evening."

"Well you're quite the detective Ma-Ti! So you figured we didn't have a party and that we'd been back on the Island, but not any more. Why didn't you just use your ring to find us?" I ask.

"I did."

"WHAT?!" Gi and Kwame both exclaim at the same time.

"Why didn't you tell us Ma-Ti?" Gi inquires.

"Once I knew they were ok, I figured they would be home soon."

"What time did you use your ring?" Linka asks.

"Yeah, we never heard you." I say.

"About 5:30 am." Ma-Ti says as he refuses to make eye contact.

Oh.

"We were sleeping." Linka says.

"Um, Linka." I say to her as I shake my head.

"Oooh," she says as the realization hits her. Her face is as red as my hair!

"Sorry." Ma-Ti says sheepishly.

"Does anyone want to explain what's going on?" Gi asks.

"I took Linka to New York for a real New Year's bash. We just wanted to ring in the New Year with a bang." I say, trying to suppress a laugh.

Gi and Kwame seem satisfied with that, but still had to send a few words of wisdom on their way out the door.

"Well next time my friends, leave a note!"

I don't dare look at Linka or Ma-Ti until I'm sure Gi and Kwame are out of ear shot. When I do, Ma-Ti is trying to hold back a smile, and Linka and I bust out laughing. Ma-Ti finally joins us.

"You certainly have a way with words Wheeler. Sorry again for the intrusion."

"That's ok little buddy. We didn't even know you were there."

"Obviously!" Ma-Ti says as he pats me on the back. "I am happy for you both."

"Thank you Ma-Ti, but can we keep this between us for now? At least until Kwame and Gi cool off." Linka asks.

"Sure Linka, but I can assure you they will be most happy for you. Before they started getting worried about you, they were actually joking that maybe you two had run off together! Or Linka had finally had enough and was off burying your body!"

Once we stopped laughing, Linka and I took our things to our cabins and unpacked. Then we cleaned up the commons room and took down the decorations that Linka had put up the day before. The rest of the day, we tried to avoid Kwame and Gi because they still seemed mad. It probably didn't help that I was trying to make a joke about the situation by letting them know where I was going every time I left the room. "Hey Kwame, I'm gonna go to the bathroom. That ok with you?" "Yo Gi, is it ok if I go to the kitchen to get a drink?" "Has anyone seen Ma-Ti? Maybe we should send out search and rescue!"

The toughest part was not being able to be with Linka. We'd sit on the same couch, but kept our distance. We sat in our usual seats next to each other at the dinner table, but all of a sudden, we had nothing to say to each other. There was alot of awkward silence. I don't know why. It's like we were afraid to talk to each other or even have a casual conversation because the tone of our voices would give our secret away. At least at dinner, I was able to maintain a little bit of contact with her under the table by brushing my leg against hers. It wasn't much, but it got her attention and it got her to smile at me.

The best part of the day was bedtime. As usual, the others had gone to bed before us. Now that we were finally alone, we were able to curl up on the couch together, watch TV, talk, and occasionally, steal quick kisses. We were still careful not to get caught because you never know when someone's gonna walk in because they got up to get a drink or couldn't sleep.

When we finally decide to go to bed, Linka and I walk hand in hand to her door and I give her a kiss goodnight. We stay there for a few minutes just holding each other. She's leaning against the wall and has her arms resting on my shoulders. I have my hands on her waist and am looking down into her eyes. I see it, a golden opportunity.

"Come back to my cabin with me," I say.

"I cannot."

"Why?" I ask as I lean down to kiss her.

"The others," she says against my lips.

"…are asleep. We'll sneak you out in the morning." I press closer to her so she's pinned between me and the wall.

"Yankeeeeeeeeee," she purrs as I move to kiss her neck.

"Baaaaaaaabe," I mock and then look at her with my best puppy dog eyes.

"Let me change into my pajamas."

_YES! I WIN!_

"I'll wait out here for you."

* * *

Wraps up in the next chapter. Sorry there's no drama. Got enough of that in real life!


	8. A Picture's Worth

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my computer chiming. I guess I forgot to shut it off last night before I went to bed. Bad Planeteer. Forgive me if I was a _little_ preoccupied. My curiosity gets the best of me so I grab my boxers from the floor, put them on, and get up to see what the message is. Who would be sending me stuff this early in the morning anyways? I get up quietly, trying not to disturb Linka. It took alot of convincing to get her to spend the night in my cabin. We still haven't told Kwame and Gi about us, so Linka didn't think it was a good idea to sneak around and that it would be better if they found out by us telling them then by them catching us. She's probably right, but I'm more selfish than I am practical. We'll tell them today since I'm sure they'll be in a better mood than they were yesterday.

Linka must've heard me moving around because she begins to stir.

"G'mornin' Beautiful," I say as I walk back to my bed and sit down next to her.

"What time is it?" She asks as she sits up.

"A little after 7." I lean over and give her a good morning kiss.

She gives me a sleepy smile and asks, "What are you doing up?"

"I heard an email come through, I just wanted to see what it was," I explained.

"I should go," she says as she gathers her things.

"Wait, this email's from Trish."

"What does _she_ want?" Linka says, with a mildly disgusted tone to her voice. Apparently all was _not_ forgiven.

"She says that she wanted to let me know that she got her pictures developed from New Year's Eve and she was scanning them now to send to me. You might wanna stick around…oh here we go. It says I'm receiving mail."

And so we waited…and waited…and waited.

"What is taking so long?" She asks.

"I don't know. Am I supposed to do something? This email thing is still pretty new to me. You'd think there'd be a faster way to receive things. I mean, it's the 90's for cryin' out loud!"

"Da, really. I am going to get cleaned up and then get some breakfast. I suggest you do the same. Maybe by then your message will have been received."

"Wait here it is! Ok, I have to download the attachment. Do I want to open it, or save it to my computer?" I ask the computer genius.

"Save it I guess. You can always delete what you do not want later."

"Great. Now it's taking forever to download. We'll be here all morning. Let's get cleaned up like you said. Meet me in the kitchen. Remember I promised I'd make you my specialty for breakfast?"

"Da, but we still have not been able to wake up and just lay in bed and relax. All this rushing out and sneaking around...I do not like it."

"Me neither."

"So when do we stop with the secrecy?"

"Soon. I promise. We'll see if Kwame and Gi have pulled the sticks outta their asses and tell them today."

She laughs and shakes her head at me. It's adorable. I draw her into my arms and kiss the top of her head.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Linka walks into the kitchen. Now things are just like any other morning. It seems that we have pulled off our little rendezvous without anyone knowing. I take the plate that I have prepared and set it down in front of her. 

"A Pop Tart? That is your specialty?!"

"No, _this_ is my specialty," I say as I cradle her face in my hands and give her a lengthy kiss.

"THERE YOU ARE!"

We both jump back, thinking we've just been busted but are relieved to see it's only Ma-Ti.

"Holy crap Ma-Ti, you almost gave us a heart attack," I say.

"Kwame is looking for you."

"Well here I am."

"You might want to take off again. He is pretty upset."

"Now what'd I do?"

"It seems he knows about you two."

"What? How?!" Linka exclaims.

"You didn't tell him did you?" I ask.

"No, of course not! Kwame asked me this morning if I would like to join him for a run. Since I am still getting over this cold, I said no. He then said he was going to see if you'd like to join him so he could apologize for over reacting about New Years. When he went to your room, you were not there, but there were pictures on your computer…"

"Yeah, so. Trish sent me some pictures from New Years. They were taking forever to download so we came to have breakfast."

"I did not see the pictures, but Kwame said something about it being tasteless and unbecoming of Planeteers." Ma-Ti explains.

"Body shots!" Linka and I exclaim simultaneously.

"Chyort voz'mi."

"What is a body shot?" Ma-Ti asks.

"I'll explain later. I gotta find Kwame and defuse the situation." I start to leave, but the mortified look on Linka's face stops me.

"I am never going to be able to look him in the eyes again! How embarrassing."

"Linka, it's not a big deal. We were having a good time, we didn't hurt anyone, and we weren't doing anything wrong," I try to reassure her.

"WHEELER, LINKA! You two have got some explaining to do." Kwame bellows. Yeah, that's right, he _bellows_...like he's my dad yelling at me, which is probably why I got the sudden urge to fight back.

"No man, _YOU'VE_ got some explaining to do. What's the deal with bargin' into my room and snoopin' through my stuff?"

"I did not 'barge' in and I was not 'snooping.' It was up on the screen so anyone who walked in would have seen it."

"Yeah, well. Those pictures were taken by a friend and meant for Linka and me. You have no right to go ragin' around the island ready to yell at us like a couple of little kids. We are ADULTS. We don't need your permission to leave the island, and what we do in our free time is nobody else's business."

"It is my business if it affects the Planeteers. What if someone other than your friend has pictures like this? They could sell them to the press and ruin our reputation!" Kwame argues.

"What? First of all, we weren't wearing our Planeteer shirts, so no one even knew who we were. It's not like anyone there was makin' a 'Planeteers Gone Wild' DVD! Second of all, the things that happened at that party are hardly anything to ruin a reputation over. Stop trying to make it scandalous because it's not. It's typical young adult, wild party behavior. Everyone gets drunk, has a good time, does some crazy stuff they wouldn't ordinarily do, and wakes up the next day with a headache and fond memories…or foggy memories" I countered.

"I am not surprised that you would participate in such distasteful behavior, Wheeler, but you Linka? I am shocked and disappointed."

I'm ready to hear Linka lay into him and let him have it, but when I look at her, her head is down and she's apologizing!

"Don't apologize to him Linka! We didn't do anything wrong. He's just jealous that he didn't have as good a time on New Year's Eve as we did." I know, now it was getting personal. But he started it. When he was yelling at me, it was fine. When he started degrading Linka and making her feel like she should be ashamed, I wasn't going to stand for that. It took alot for her to let her inhibitions go and let loose. All these years I've been trying to get her to loosen up, Kwame's just undid all my work with a few simple words.

"I am not jealous. I am happy that the two of you had a good time together. However, I am sad that you two felt you needed to sneak around behind our backs and not let us know you were a couple. We would have been happy for you. How long have you been together?"

"I could hear you guys yelling all the way to my cabin. What's going on in here?" Gi asks.

"Wheeler and Linka are sneaking around having an affair behind our backs!"

"Really?! That's wonderful!" Gi squeals.

"AN AFFAIR?! You make it sound like we're trying not to get caught by our significant others." I say.

"Well, you were sneaking around trying to not get caught by your friends," Kwame argues.

"Why didn't you want us to know?" Gi asks. She sounds hurt.

"We were not sneaking around. It just happened on New Year's Eve. We were going to tell you today. We would have told you yesterday, but you were upset about us not telling you we were in New York so we were not sure it was the best time." Linka explains.

"I am happy for you my friends. I just wish you would have used better judgment in your actions," Kwame says.

"I'm not apologizing for my actions. Everything that happened that night led me to this," I say as I put my arm around Linka. "And I'd do it all again. I have no regrets. But I resent the fact that you're trying to make us feel bad about what happened. Especially Linka. What kinda friend degrades another friend like that?"

"I apologize if that is how I came across. I have a confession to make. I AM ONLY JOKING!" Kwame and Ma-Ti started laughing while the rest of us just stood there with blank expressions on our faces.

"Huh?"

"I asked Ma-Ti to go for a run, but he was still not feeling well, so I decided to come ask you. That is when I saw the pictures. I went back to Ma-Ti's room thinking I had big news. I told him 'Wheeler and Linka have finally gotten together!' and he looked at me and smiled. He was not as shocked as I was, and he simply said 'I know.' So you see, I had to get back at you for not telling us! Ma-Ti was more than willing to help me convince you that I was angry."

"You should have seen your face Wheeler! You were scared. And now I have a little revenge for all the pranks you have pulled on me!" Ma-Ti says.

"Traitor," I reply.

"Enough with the childish pranks, I want to hear all about how you two FINALLY came to your senses," Gi insists.

"Whoa whoa, wait. What do you mean 'you two?' _**SHE'S**_ the reason it took so long!" I interject.

"What?! No Yankee, it was _**YOU**_. I had to wait for you to GROW UP!"

"Whatever Babe. Believe what you want. I know the truth."

"Oh really? And what is that?"

"That _**YOU**_ were the immature one. I had to wait for _**YOU**_ to grow up and not be afraid to let yourself fall for me."

Hmm, she's speechless. I'm right. However, the look she's giving me tells me that I better just shut up and not shout "I told you so!" like I want to.

"Ok, apparently I'm going to have to see these pictures if I want any answers!" Gi proclaims.

Ooooh, the pictures.

"That reminds me, _**WE**_ still haven't seen these pictures yet, and to be honest with you, I drank a little too much and don't really recall much of the details. I'm sure once I see the pictures, it'll all come back to me, so if you'll excuse us…" I take Linka's hand and lead her out of the kitchen.

"You're not getting off that easily you too! I expect a full report this afternoon!" Gi demands as we walk away.

"Sure thing Gi."

* * *

When we get back to my room, we head straight for my computer. I take a seat and motion for Linka to sit on my lap. Sure enough, the first one was a picture of us doing the body shot, there were several pictures of the various stages. I, of course, loved the pictures. Linka was blushing. I knew she'd be embarrassed once she sobered up. 

"Hey, don't worry Babe. I highly doubt you're ever going to see any of those people that were at the party ever again, and if by some chance you do, I doubt they'll remember you, considering the amount of alcohol that was consumed by everyone that night! Gi, Ma-Ti, and Kwame don't need to see these ones either. These are purely for my enjoyment!" I lean forward and press my lips to her temple.

"Thank you."

"No, thank _YOU_! That was an amazing moment that I will never forget. It was so out of character for you, which makes it even more special. Like buying a pack of baseball cards and getting a rare one. It's a great feeling and you always treasure that card…does that make sense?"

"Da…BUT it will never happen again, so cherish that memory Yankee!"

"Not even in private? 'cause I was plannin' on pickin' up some tequila and limes the next time we take a trip back to civilization!" That comment got me a smack on the arm…but it wasn't a 'no.' Call me an optimist!

The pictures were great. We sat in silence as we scrolled through the rest of them. The only words spoken between us were conveyed by actions. She'd lean her head back to rest on my shoulder, I'd lean my head against hers, she'd turn to give me a kiss, I'd wrap my arm around her a little tighter…these are the sort of things that I would normally tease one of my buddies about if I ever saw them acting this sappy. But with Linka, it's not sappy. It's real. It's not forced. It's natural.

Linka removes my hand from the mouse and searches for a particular picture. When she finds it, she asks,

"Can you print that one for me on photo paper? I would like to buy a frame for it."

"Sure, I can do that…as long as you promise to get a frame for me too."

"Promise."

"You know Babe, seeing these pictures made me realize something."

"What is that?"

"Well, I always thought we'd make a perfect couple…seeing these pictures proves it."

She laughs. I continue,

"Seriously. Look how good we look together."

"I see."

She stands up and pulls me up with her, hugs me, then says,

"I am just sorry that I did not see it sooner."

We stood like that for a few minutes. Arms wrapped around each other, her cheek pressed against my chest, and my chin resting on top of her head. I saw our reflection in the mirror above my dresser. Not only do we _look_ perfect together, we _fit_ together perfectly. She fulfills everything that is missing in me: mind, body, and soul. I've never been this satisfied with anything in my life. I always want more, but with Linka, everything is already there.

I begin swaying back and forth to a tune heard only in my head.

"What are you doing?"

"Dancing. You said you like to dance right?"

"Da, but when did I...? Oh, the gameshow."

"Yeah...wait, you didn't call it a dream?"

"I thought it was a dream when I first woke up. A weird one, but I was not surprised that I was so flirty with you. We were always like that when I dreamed. I guess it was my subconscious' way of fulfilling a desire. I could never do it in real life because I was afraid of the awkwardness it would create. Then when I found out everyone else had the same dream, I began to think that it was real, but went along with the others in saying it was a dream in order to avoid any of the usual awkwardness between us after moments of closeness."

"Is this awkward for you?"

"Dancing without music? Da!"

"No, I mean us. Do you still feel weird after 'moments of closeness' as you called them?"

"Nyet. Not anymore. It is natural. It feels right."

"I'm glad to hear you say that. I feel the same way."

She follows my lead as I make my way over to the radio. I switch it on and search for some suitable dancing music. Ah, Bon Jovi. He's my guy. I feel like I've grown up listening to his music. This particular song is getting overplayed, but it's still good, even if it is about a break up, it's also about loving someone always, no matter what. We continue to move to the music. Not a word is spoken between us as we look into each other's eyes while the song plays on: "I'll be there til the stars don't shine. Til the Heavens burst and the words don't rhyme. And I know when I die, you'll be on my mind, and I'll love you...Always." Linka puts her hand on the side of my face and rubs her thumb across my cheek then pulls me down for a kiss. When we part, I rest my forehead against hers and we stay like that for the rest of the song. When the song ends, the moment is ruined by a commercial.

"Thank you for the dance Yankee."

"You're welcome. You know I'll use any excuse to hold you," I say. Yeah, it's super corny but it really is how I feel. And while I feel cheesey saying these things, the smiles she gives me and the way she blushes in response makes it worth it.

"Well, we should definitely do it again sometime."

"Love to. I'll keep that in mind."

"And thank you for taking me to New York for New Year's Eve. It was the best New Year's celebration ever," she says.

"I thought so too. Thank you for coming with me. I can already tell this is going to be the best year of my life so far, and they're only gonna get better from now on as long as I'm spending every day with you."

"Aww, Yankee. That is so sweet of you to say," she gushes.

There's another smile and she's blushing! Am I good or what? But in all seriousness...

"I mean it Linka. I love you."

"I love you too."

And we kiss once again. This is my new favorite pass time. I'll never get tired of it. There's always something new to discover; a new sound, a new feeling, a new favorite spot for my hands to explore.

"Wheeler?"

"Yeah?"

"Lock the door."

Yep. This is going to be the best year ever.

The End

* * *

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all have the best year ever! I'm back to work now so this is probably my last fic...at least for a while since I won't have all that free time to write. Who knows, maybe something that's just too good to pass up will come to me when I'm day dreaming at work and I'll have to come home and write it down! Miss Mango suggested I do a "new year narrative." Who knows. It could happen. Thanks again to all who've reviewed. I appreciated your encouragement, valued your opinions, and loved hearing from you. 


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